The Nascent Soul cultivator's anger reached its boiling point as he helplessly watched the gray Qi engulf the remaining Golden Core cultivators one by one. With each passing moment, the gruesome sight of more dismembered, dried-up corpses only served to fuel his rage. But as his fury burned hotter, it gradually began to give way to a chilling sensation of fear. He had never encountered anything like this before, and he realized he had no idea how to combat this unseen enemy.

As the last of the Golden Core cultivators succumbed to their grisly fate, the gray Qi emerged once more. This time, however, it did not attack the Nascent Soul cultivator. Instead, it coalesced into the form of an elderly man dressed in a gray robe. The old man's identity soon became clear: it was none other than Yongnian.

With a sneer in his voice, Yongnian addressed the Nascent Soul cultivator, his words dripping with disdain. "I will allow you to leave. Take this message back to the Starfall Sect: cease your attacks on the Sky Soaring Sect immediately, or face dire consequences."

The Nascent Soul cultivator's fear began to morph into a renewed fury as he listened to Yongnian's condescending tone. Clenching his sword tightly, he unleashed a powerful slash imbued with fiery sword Qi, directing it straight at Yongnian.

As the attack reached Yongnian, it seemed to have no effect on him whatsoever. Instead, it harmlessly passed through his body as if he were an incorporeal being. Undeterred, the Nascent Soul cultivator continued to slash his sword at Yongnian, but each subsequent attack met the same fate. Desperate, he resorted to other techniques, such as unleashing a fiery breath and casting a flame seal, but none of these had any impact on Yongnian either.

As Yongnian steadily approached the Nascent Soul cultivator, he spoke once more, his voice calm but firm. "I will give you another chance to leave and relay my message to the Starfall Sect elders: cease your attacks on the Sky Soaring Sect's vassals." The Nascent Soul cultivator, faced with the futility of his attacks, was overcome with fear. In a bid to put some distance between them, he leaped several paces away from Yongnian.

Summoning his courage, the Nascent Soul cultivator of the Starfall Sect replied, "I apologize for any offense I may have caused, senior. I will convey your message to the sect and urge them to halt their attacks." Yongnian nodded in response, simply stating, "Go."

As the Nascent Soul cultivator turned to leave, he prepared to take flight. However, just as he was about to soar into the sky, the gray Qi materialized out of nowhere, assailing him with a relentless assault. The cultivator struggled to fend off the gray Qi as it drained his vitality, but his resistance proved futile. Ultimately, he could no longer fight back, and his entire essence was absorbed. Even when the cultivator's nascent soul attempted to escape, the gray Qi would not permit it, ensuring the cultivator's complete and utter defeat.

The gray Qi finally spat out the dried corpse of the Nascent Soul cultivator of the Starfall Sect but kept his nascent soul trapped. Yongnian moved his hands and a small container appeared in his hand; Yongnian brought the container near the nascent soul of the cultivator and container sucked it in. After the nascent soul was captured. Yongnian reabsorbed the gray Qi he had released.

Yongnian, having completed his sinister task, gazed at the desiccated corpse of the Nascent Soul cultivator from the Starfall Sect. A wicked smile crept across his face, as if he was pleased with his handiwork. Then, just as suddenly as he had appeared, Yongnian vanished without a trace.

The following day, the entire nation was informed of the harrowing events that had unfolded in Moonlight Haven. This revelation sent shockwaves throughout the kingdom, as it marked the first instance of a Nascent Soul cultivator being killed in the ongoing conflict. The implications were chilling: not even cities guarded by powerful Nascent Soul cultivators could consider themselves safe from these devastating attacks.

The Starfall Sect's outrage knew no bounds. This brazen act of violence was the first time someone had dared to murder a Nascent Soul elder from their ranks. In retaliation, the Starfall Sect issued an official declaration, naming the Sky Soaring Sect as their mortal enemy and vowing to annihilate them entirely.

Despite their vehement proclamation, the Starfall Sect found themselves uncertain about how to proceed. The Royal Alliance was quickly running out of viable options. What had initially begun as one city under attack soon every escalated to three and, eventually, a staggering four cities being targeted daily basis.  The Royal Alliance found itself stretched thin, struggling to keep pace with the mounting assaults on their territories.

The Royal Alliance found itself in a dire predicament, as they were rapidly depleting their ranks of elders and core elders to protect their cities and towns. After several more weeks, they had no other option but to cease deploying Nascent Soul cultivators for defense when the fifth Nascent Soul cultivator met a tragic end while attempting to protect a city.

Desperation grew for the members of the Royal Alliance as they continued to suffer devastating losses in resources and personnel. The citizens of Yin Country were gripped by escalating fear, realizing that the once-safe haven they had known was now under relentless attack. The vassal families, sects, and city lords that had allied with the Royal Alliance were all too aware of the suffocating pressure and the ever-present dread of becoming the next target.

Countless meetings were convened by the Starfall Sect and the other Royal Alliance members to deliberate on potential strategies to counter the mounting crisis. They recognized that the loss of their Nascent Soul cultivators and cities at this alarming rate was unsustainable. Despite their concerted efforts, they were unable to devise a solution, as the enigmatic assailant remained elusive and seemingly untouchable.

Amidst the deteriorating situation, dissent began to emerge within the ranks of the Royal Alliance. Some members started to question the wisdom of perpetuating the conflict with the Sky Soaring Sect, fearing that this path would only result in mutual annihilation. Nevertheless, the leadership of the Royal Alliance, the Starfall sect, remained steadfast in their resolve, determined to destroy the Sky Soaring Sect at all costs.

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Gifts are always appreciated, but golden tickets and power stones matter a lot too.

If we reach 1000 power stones, I will release a supplementary chapter.

If we reach 1000 golden tickets, I will release five supplementary chapters.

Thank You